"Qianming, I…" Even someone as thick-skinned as Might Guy couldn't quite lift his head after being mocked and bullied. All the more so in front of a classmate from the same year; his face flushed red and he didn't know what to do.
"Don't get discouraged…" Seeing Guy so downcast, Zhao Yi Qianming honestly didn't know how to comfort him. He paused, then repeated to Guy the very words Might Guy would one day use to teach Rock Lee: "There are two kinds of genius in this world—innate genius and the genius of hard work."
Maybe Guy really was the carefree type; the moment he heard this, he sprang back to life, baring his teeth in a grin and shouting, "Got it, Qianming! Let's work hard together and surpass those geniuses!"
"…"
"I'm heading back," Zhao Yi Qianming said.
This was the perfect moment to befriend Guy, but facing the thick cloud of chuuni energy rolling off him, Zhao Yi Qianming found he simply couldn't hold a conversation.
"So early? I'm going to keep training!" Guy blinked, puzzled.
"Mm. I'm getting ready for tomorrow's exam," Zhao Yi Qianming said. "During the practical in the afternoon, I'm going to challenge Kakashi."
The next morning, Zhao Yi Qianming deliberately got up early. After his morning run and some simple conditioning drills, he tuned his body to peak state.
For most of their cohort, today's exam was just another academy assessment—do well and you're happy; do poorly and it's nothing earthshaking.
For Zhao Yi Qianming, though, this exam meant something very different.
If Kakashi really was going to apply for early graduation next year, then this would be Zhao Yi Qianming's last chance to face him at the academy.
He knew that as the gifted son of Konoha's White Fang, Kakashi was under constant watch by the village leadership. If Zhao Yi Qianming could defeat Kakashi in front of everyone, he'd undoubtedly enter the higher-ups' line of sight.
That would pay off in the future—at the very least, he wouldn't be placed under some faceless Chūnin team leader when squads were assigned after graduation.
Early graduation might draw attention, but that road didn't suit Zhao Yi Qianming.
Kakashi had Sakumo Hatake's direct guidance—who knew how much he'd already learned? Zhao Yi Qianming had only the academy instructors.
If he graduated early too, he'd be swallowed by endless missions, which would be terrible for his long-term development.
The academy period was crucial for him; whether he truly learned anything depended on these few years of effort. Missions would inevitably eat into training time, and for him, that was fatal.
Perhaps Kakashi's later ceiling wasn't entirely unrelated to being thrown into unending missions too early, slashing the time he could devote to training.
Ninja Academy training field.
"Wow~ so cool!"
"Kakashi is amazing!"
"…"
Kakashi stood several meters from a target post. He raised both hands—Kunai in one, Shuriken in the other—and flicked them with casual ease. Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Every throw hit dead center—no strays at all.
Cheers erupted all around. First in the year, son of Konoha's White Fang, a top-tier prodigy in his own right—every move Kakashi made drew eyes.
By comparison, Zhao Yi Qianming's grades were excellent, but he rarely drew attention.
To be fair, Zhao Yi Qianming wasn't bad-looking at all—fair-skinned, fine-featured, a cool, handsome little princeling. But under Kakashi's halo, all that felt insignificant.
The one in first place is always dazzling; second might as well be tenth—both are buried in the first's brilliance.
"Which is why, today…" Zhao Yi Qianming watched Kakashi, a flash of battle heat in his eyes.
Half a year of hard training—today would prove the results.
"Watch me!"
Just then, a goggle-wearing brat shouldered Kakashi aside, yanked out a handful of Shuriken, and hurled them at the post with all his might!
Thunk! Clang!
Only two of the six hit the target; the other four went who-knew-where.
"Dammit, Kakashi! I couldn't focus because you were standing there!" The goggle-brat's face reddened, then he jabbed a finger at Kakashi and erupted.
Obito Uchiha.
Looking at that chuuni goggle-brat, Zhao Yi Qianming could hardly reconcile him with the masked man who would one day upend the shinobi world and ignite the Fourth Shinobi World War.
'The power of the Uchiha… it really is something,' Zhao Yi Qianming thought.
Obito had enough talent to make the elite class, yet within that class he was the undisputed bottom rung.
Later, though—after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan and incorporating the First Hokage's cells—Obito would toy with the entire shinobi world. The Uchiha's Sharingan was undeniably powerful; it could change a person's destiny outright.
"At least you didn't hit anyone this time," Kakashi deadpanned.
"Shut up, Kakashi!"
"…"
"Next—Zhao Yi Qianming!" the Chūnin instructor called.
Soon it was Zhao Yi Qianming's turn.
This level of Shuriken throwing was child's play to him. He stepped forward, drew six Shuriken from his tool pouch, and loosed them in one fluid motion—every single one hit the bull's-eye.
"Excellent! Full marks," the Chūnin instructor said with a pleased smile.
As a civilian, Zhao Yi Qianming mattered to him. Each time Zhao Yi Qianming asked for guidance, he held nothing back, often giving him extra coaching.
This Chūnin was named Yamamoto Hideyoshi, essentially Zhao Yi Qianming's first true mentor.
The progress Zhao Yi Qianming had made over the past half-year owed much to Yamamoto Hideyoshi's instruction.
Before long, the Shuriken and Transformation Jutsu tests wrapped up. Yamamoto Hideyoshi pulled out a new sheet and addressed the class: "Everyone, the next subject is the practical assessment. I'll assign opponents based on the last practical's results. When I call your name, step forward!"
The academy's practicals weren't about ranking first, second, or third. They were meant to reveal each student's adaptability and shortcomings in real combat so instructors could observe and then guide them.
To avoid one-sided beatdowns, pairings were mostly between students of similar level—that way their potential showed more clearly.
"First matchup… Raido Namiashi versus Genma Shiranui. If I read your name, step up!" Yamamoto Hideyoshi called.
Raido Namiashi and Genma Shiranui strode out together and faced off.
"Begin with the Seal of Confrontation," Yamamoto Hideyoshi instructed.
Both formed the seal, then drew wooden Kunai and settled into their fighting stances.